Calling all veterans
- DriftRoots
- Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2003 8:33 am
- Location: In front of a computer screen
Calling all veterans
No, not war veterans, sorry.
I'm speaking here as someone who would like to make an AMV, is not intellectually-challenged, has creative ideas and a willingness to work hard. Looking around at all the AMV guides (here or other places on the Internet) I am left with the impression that veteran AMV creators who have produced quality works are very closemouthed about their methods and techniques.
Please do not immediately attack me for ignorance. I am well-aware of how much there is to learn about making an AMV and that, in many people's minds, one should probably not tackle an AMV without a solid grounding in video/graphics. I find it frutrating, though, that unless one possesses such a background, the help/ suggestions that are offered by those more knowledgable is really not helpful at all. Worse, "simple" help oftentimes comes across as downright condescending.
I am very familiar with . . . oh what shall I call it . . . "need" to find approval, admiration and some sort of social status via the Internet, usually at the expense of others. Is there anyone here who is actually open to offering friendly, helpful advice to those who appreciate such a mentor, or are you all too "busy" doing more "important" things to bother helping newbies? The so-called "Guides" on this Web site are a case in point, except for a few (rather common sense) bits of advice for planning an AMV's theme and some very technical information that should be labeled "for intermediate/advanced users only," there's NOTHING here to help people become better AMV creators - maybe there are so many crappy AMV's out there BECAUSE NO ONE IS OFFERING TO SHOW OTHERS A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS. Rather like giving a gang of kids bikes and expecting them to get to point A from point B as fast as possible, but never bothering to teach them how to ride a bike.
Why is an AMV a "failure" if it does not meet the standards set for "perfection?" Are things that black and white? Cannot an AMV with a rating of 7.5 be far superior in terms of creativity, originality etc. than the oft-downloaded AMVs to be found in the "top 10%?" and receive such recognition in its own right?
OK EVERYONE, STOP THAT FLAMING POST YOU'RE ABOUT TO WRITE AND JUST LISTEN FOR ONE MORE SECOND (or ten).
This is a forum, a place to facilitate discussion of ideas and opinions, therefore I have every right to voice them regardless of their accuracy or the strength of my belief in them. I don't think my frustration with the lack of aid to would-be AMVersis going to impress anyone as original or worthy of attention or even reply. That's the wonderful thing about forums, even if no one gives a damn - generally speaking, you can still be heard.
I'm speaking here as someone who would like to make an AMV, is not intellectually-challenged, has creative ideas and a willingness to work hard. Looking around at all the AMV guides (here or other places on the Internet) I am left with the impression that veteran AMV creators who have produced quality works are very closemouthed about their methods and techniques.
Please do not immediately attack me for ignorance. I am well-aware of how much there is to learn about making an AMV and that, in many people's minds, one should probably not tackle an AMV without a solid grounding in video/graphics. I find it frutrating, though, that unless one possesses such a background, the help/ suggestions that are offered by those more knowledgable is really not helpful at all. Worse, "simple" help oftentimes comes across as downright condescending.
I am very familiar with . . . oh what shall I call it . . . "need" to find approval, admiration and some sort of social status via the Internet, usually at the expense of others. Is there anyone here who is actually open to offering friendly, helpful advice to those who appreciate such a mentor, or are you all too "busy" doing more "important" things to bother helping newbies? The so-called "Guides" on this Web site are a case in point, except for a few (rather common sense) bits of advice for planning an AMV's theme and some very technical information that should be labeled "for intermediate/advanced users only," there's NOTHING here to help people become better AMV creators - maybe there are so many crappy AMV's out there BECAUSE NO ONE IS OFFERING TO SHOW OTHERS A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS. Rather like giving a gang of kids bikes and expecting them to get to point A from point B as fast as possible, but never bothering to teach them how to ride a bike.
Why is an AMV a "failure" if it does not meet the standards set for "perfection?" Are things that black and white? Cannot an AMV with a rating of 7.5 be far superior in terms of creativity, originality etc. than the oft-downloaded AMVs to be found in the "top 10%?" and receive such recognition in its own right?
OK EVERYONE, STOP THAT FLAMING POST YOU'RE ABOUT TO WRITE AND JUST LISTEN FOR ONE MORE SECOND (or ten).
This is a forum, a place to facilitate discussion of ideas and opinions, therefore I have every right to voice them regardless of their accuracy or the strength of my belief in them. I don't think my frustration with the lack of aid to would-be AMVersis going to impress anyone as original or worthy of attention or even reply. That's the wonderful thing about forums, even if no one gives a damn - generally speaking, you can still be heard.
- Saeth1
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:08 pm
- Location: San Antonio
- Contact:
I'm not exactly a veteran, but heres my .02 on skimming through your post
the best way to learn is to try...if it sucks, oh well...keep trying until it doesn't suck...works ok for me
as for low score good videos, thats a matter of opinion, really. My serenity video has gotten multiple 5 star ratings, and they are balanced out with multiple 2 star ratings
the best way to learn is to try...if it sucks, oh well...keep trying until it doesn't suck...works ok for me
as for low score good videos, thats a matter of opinion, really. My serenity video has gotten multiple 5 star ratings, and they are balanced out with multiple 2 star ratings
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- is
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 5:54 am
- Status: N͋̀͒̆ͣ͋ͤ̍ͮ͌ͭ̔̊͒ͧ̿
- Location: N????????????????
Sure there is -- other AMVs. And making your own. That's really the best, and only, way to get better...there's NOTHING here to help people become better AMV creators
As nice it would be to have a guide titled "Right Now You Are Making A Bad Video...But You Don't Have To" or "It's Tricky To Screw Up Your AMV With This Guide" or whatever, such a guide cannot exist...not for ideological reasons but simply because there's so many ways to reach a "good" AMV, and no guide can possibly treat them all.
- Kai Stromler
- Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 9:35 am
- Location: back in the USSA
The way to learn how to ride a bike is to sit on it and push the pedals. You will fall off, so long pants/sleeves and a helmet are necessary, but eventually you will learn how to balance, and with lots of practice and arduous training, you stand a chance to win the Tour de France.
Similarly (nice choice of analogies there), the way to learn how to make AMVs is to grab your source and bang on your editing program. You will have encoding errors, you will make timing mistakes, and even after you iron these out you will make subpar videos, but, again, with a few videos under your belt, you too can win convention contests and professional respect.
Forget trying to be perfect. If you look more carefully, you'll see that the top creators are the ones who gained their knowledge experientially, by working with their programs and working on AMVs. I can't speak for other vets who have actually produced quality works (because most of my stuff isn't such), but the reason I'm close-mouthed about 'methods and techniques' is because I don't really have any.
In the immortal words of Monty Python: "I kicked the ball, and it went in the goal". "I got my source, and I banged on it with my editing gear." We're not being modest or secretive; that's really how it works.
If you really want personalized help, all you have to do is ask. Most creators are prone to ego inflation, so mail or PM some of your favorites, tell them how much you love their work, and ask them to look over your first/fiftieth video and tell you what needs improvement. Some may snap at you, but if you cast the net wide enough and type with maturity and respect, you'll find a few who are willing to assist.
HTH, hails, & good luck,
--K
PS - don't try bugging me, I'm a heavy-metal psychopath who eats newbs with mint jelly for breakfast. 8)
Similarly (nice choice of analogies there), the way to learn how to make AMVs is to grab your source and bang on your editing program. You will have encoding errors, you will make timing mistakes, and even after you iron these out you will make subpar videos, but, again, with a few videos under your belt, you too can win convention contests and professional respect.
Forget trying to be perfect. If you look more carefully, you'll see that the top creators are the ones who gained their knowledge experientially, by working with their programs and working on AMVs. I can't speak for other vets who have actually produced quality works (because most of my stuff isn't such), but the reason I'm close-mouthed about 'methods and techniques' is because I don't really have any.
In the immortal words of Monty Python: "I kicked the ball, and it went in the goal". "I got my source, and I banged on it with my editing gear." We're not being modest or secretive; that's really how it works.
If you really want personalized help, all you have to do is ask. Most creators are prone to ego inflation, so mail or PM some of your favorites, tell them how much you love their work, and ask them to look over your first/fiftieth video and tell you what needs improvement. Some may snap at you, but if you cast the net wide enough and type with maturity and respect, you'll find a few who are willing to assist.
HTH, hails, & good luck,
--K
PS - don't try bugging me, I'm a heavy-metal psychopath who eats newbs with mint jelly for breakfast. 8)
Shin Hatsubai is a Premiere-free studio. Insomni-Ack is habitually worthless.
CHOPWORK - abominations of maceration
skywide, armspread : forward, upward
Coelem - Tenebral Presence single now freely available
CHOPWORK - abominations of maceration
skywide, armspread : forward, upward
Coelem - Tenebral Presence single now freely available
- Arigatomina
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 3:04 am
- Contact:
The language used in you post has endeared me to you, DriftRoots, so if you have any general question a non-vet might know, feel free to ask. As it is, I'm prone to agree with you about the guides. They explain too much. Instead of giving simple steps (think vcr manuals), they explain why they do ever step - as if they need to prove they have authority. So the guides end up convoluted - and those who don't really care about knowing indepth how audio and visual compression works get lost, bogged down by the information. But you can go through them, catch the main steps, and then ask people if you're having trouble with certain steps - you don't have to rely on the guides, that's what the help sections are for - to help people who have trouble. If you've made an effort to learn by the guides, you'll find people are less likely to step on you when you ask for help.
As for making good vids - if you rely on a vet, and get advice from one person on what it is that makes a vid 'good' then you're just going to be reproducing that person's idea of good vids. I'd agree with Trythil - I haven't learned that much since I joined, but everything I've learned came from watching other people's vids. Yeah, getting opinions and advice is good when you're quite new and you don't have the basics down, but once you advance you'll reach the point where you need (want) to branch into your own creativity - and if you're dependent on other people's advice you aren't going to make it.
Yeah, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but watch some vids - and even if you don't have time to do reviews, note to yourself exactly what you think is 'off' and how it would be changed if you were to do it the 'right' way. And watch a variety of vids from the same person - you'll get an idea of how people improve and how a person's style may change with practice. Look at some of the people on the top lists and then go and check out one of their early vids and note the differences. It'll give you a lot more confidence, and you'll get some good experience with different styles and genres - much more than you'll get if you just ask one 'vet' to give you advice.
As for making good vids - if you rely on a vet, and get advice from one person on what it is that makes a vid 'good' then you're just going to be reproducing that person's idea of good vids. I'd agree with Trythil - I haven't learned that much since I joined, but everything I've learned came from watching other people's vids. Yeah, getting opinions and advice is good when you're quite new and you don't have the basics down, but once you advance you'll reach the point where you need (want) to branch into your own creativity - and if you're dependent on other people's advice you aren't going to make it.
Yeah, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but watch some vids - and even if you don't have time to do reviews, note to yourself exactly what you think is 'off' and how it would be changed if you were to do it the 'right' way. And watch a variety of vids from the same person - you'll get an idea of how people improve and how a person's style may change with practice. Look at some of the people on the top lists and then go and check out one of their early vids and note the differences. It'll give you a lot more confidence, and you'll get some good experience with different styles and genres - much more than you'll get if you just ask one 'vet' to give you advice.
- iserlohn
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2001 1:40 am
- Location: Wien, Österreich
I'm not sure if I can answer that. Hell, I'm not sure if anyone can answer that. It sounds (to me) like what you're doing is asking people to objectify art. It's sort of like saying "If you include the shot of Vash naked you'll automatically win at Otakon", when it's just not that simple. I've been looking for this type of answer myself for years now and all it's taught me is that, like with war, there are no easy answers. If there were, I'd have the number one video on all the lists and cute fangirls offering me oral sex every time I went to a con.
So how does one improve artistically?
Having people to work with is nice. I like to bounce my ideas, test clips, working renders, and whatever else I can get them to look at off at least three or four people every time I do a video. It also helps to spend a while doing nothing before you edit - just mull over the idea in your head, get some thoughts together, and see how well you can imagine the video. Sometimes this'll be all you need to start editing and you'll know you were right the instant you set clip to song (...are some answers was made like this), and sometimes it'll be wrong and you'll need to start all over again.
The best advice I can give you (besides a reminder that you should make videos for yourself and that everyone else can fuck off if they don't like it), is to read a couple of books that will help you with your mindset and thought processes before making your next video. The first is called Hare Brain Tortoise Mind by Guy Claxton, and is an incredible book about artistic and intuitive thinking vs. mathematical and objective thinking. This'll book, if nothing else, will explain how and why you get frustrated when concentrating on a problem.
The second book (the fun one) is called The Manual and is a how-to guide (that really has worked) for making a number one single on the UK pop charts. While some of the information is dated (lots of talk about vinyl and references that most people nowadays won't understand), their (short) section on video is priceless, and once you've read the chapter on the Golden Rules, the world of media popularity will suddenly open up and become clear before your eyes. Unfortunately, this book is out of print (the authors took all their work off the market when they retired), but the link above goes to an etext.
I hope this helps, and that this thread can stay on topic and generate some interesting discussion!
So how does one improve artistically?
Having people to work with is nice. I like to bounce my ideas, test clips, working renders, and whatever else I can get them to look at off at least three or four people every time I do a video. It also helps to spend a while doing nothing before you edit - just mull over the idea in your head, get some thoughts together, and see how well you can imagine the video. Sometimes this'll be all you need to start editing and you'll know you were right the instant you set clip to song (...are some answers was made like this), and sometimes it'll be wrong and you'll need to start all over again.
The best advice I can give you (besides a reminder that you should make videos for yourself and that everyone else can fuck off if they don't like it), is to read a couple of books that will help you with your mindset and thought processes before making your next video. The first is called Hare Brain Tortoise Mind by Guy Claxton, and is an incredible book about artistic and intuitive thinking vs. mathematical and objective thinking. This'll book, if nothing else, will explain how and why you get frustrated when concentrating on a problem.
The second book (the fun one) is called The Manual and is a how-to guide (that really has worked) for making a number one single on the UK pop charts. While some of the information is dated (lots of talk about vinyl and references that most people nowadays won't understand), their (short) section on video is priceless, and once you've read the chapter on the Golden Rules, the world of media popularity will suddenly open up and become clear before your eyes. Unfortunately, this book is out of print (the authors took all their work off the market when they retired), but the link above goes to an etext.
I hope this helps, and that this thread can stay on topic and generate some interesting discussion!
"I'm recording an album tonight. Funny material and laughter will be dubbed in later."
--Bill Hicks
--Bill Hicks
- Zarxrax
- Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2001 6:37 pm
- Contact:
- Nurd
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:38 pm
There are a good deal of people who are open to giving advice. But that's just what it is, advice. If what you feel you need is someone to hold your hand and walk you through things, perhaps you are in the wrong place. There are plenty of schools throughout the US that will be more than glad to *teach* you how to do video/audio editing. As it is, most of the people here, are here because they enjoy doing making AMVs, and they enjoy talking with others who also enjoy making AMVs. It doesn't matter how good/bad/popular/respected someones video editing skills are, that does not give anyone the right to expect them to be some kind of mentor. They owe you nothing.Is there anyone here who is actually open to offering friendly, helpful advice to those who appreciate such a mentor, or are you all too "busy" doing more "important" things to bother helping newbies?
Don't knock the guides, someone put a good deal of effort into putting those togethers, obviously there was a need for them, for if there weren't then they wouldn't exist. If you don't understand them, ask about the parts you don't understand. A quick post of, hey I was reading such a such a guide, and it said something about doing this, but I dont see that button they're talking about, or it's not working as I expect. Sure you *will* get some people giving you crap, but that's life, thicken your skin a little.The so-called "Guides" on this Web site are a case in point, except for a few (rather common sense) bits of advice for planning an AMV's theme and some very technical information that should be labeled "for intermediate/advanced users only,"
Most peoples first video, is not all that good, no matter how many guides you read, you don't know anything without practice. But there's a difference between a new video that someone put some effort into, to try to time it right, to try to use transitions to their advantage, but just did not have the practice and skill to pull it off just yet, and a video that someone just slapped 03:45 minutes of footage together at random and slapped some music on it. One of these people will grow with time and create great video's, the other will continue to release the same video over and over again, only with different music and using a different anime.there's NOTHING here to help people become better AMV creators - maybe there are so many crappy AMV's out there BECAUSE NO ONE IS OFFERING TO SHOW OTHERS A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS.
The guides can give you concepts, and tell you how to do certain things that alot of people make mistakes on. (ie. ripping footage, what kind of codec to use, stuff like that) But no one can tell you a "Better Way" to do things. This is not a process believe it or not, it's an art.
Nurd
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- Jebadia
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2001 8:54 pm
- Location: Parkersburg, WV
- Contact:
Re: Calling all veterans
DamnDriftRoots wrote:No, not war veterans, sorry.
that's the fighting spirit we all like to see.I'm speaking here as someone who would like to make an AMV, is not intellectually-challenged, has creative ideas and a willingness to work hard.
Looking around at all the AMV guides (here or other places on the Internet) I am left with the impression that veteran AMV creators who have produced quality works are very closemouthed about their methods and techniques.
Not entirely true, I tend to lend a hand to people who want to know how to do something that I did in a video...mostly those damn matte effects in "Fire" why can't you leave me alone! Some amv creaters have a signature effect they don't necessarily want to give away to the public, and would rather let them find out for their own (all part of the learning experience).
hides gunPlease do not immediately attack me for ignorance.
Ah, brings me back to my first few vids, hehe..I was clueless.I am well-aware of how much there is to learn about making an AMV and that, in many people's minds, one should probably not tackle an AMV without a solid grounding in video/graphics.
I find it frutrating, though, that unless one possesses such a background, the help/ suggestions that are offered by those more knowledgable is really not helpful at all. Worse, "simple" help oftentimes comes across as downright condescending.
Sadly what you say is most often true, but simply for the matter is that our patience is wearing thin on those people who don't bother to look up their querry in the forum before posting it, but I'm guilty of such acts so I try to not flame. Often in the past the hostility was from "Read <a href=http://www.a-m-v.org/guides/avtech31/>ErMaC & AbsoluteDestiny's Friendly AMV Guides</a>" "ratfag" I can't remember it anymore, which actually just ment go look at the guides, but most people interperated it as being called a fag.
it's a dog eat dog world out there.I am very familiar with . . . oh what shall I call it . . . "need" to find approval, admiration and some sort of social status via the Internet, usually at the expense of others.
I'd gladly help but in the mean time I do have other things to do, so time would be rather..stretched? Actually I have nothing better to do until I get a job, me and my lazy ass.Is there anyone here who is actually open to offering friendly, helpful advice to those who appreciate such a mentor, or are you all too "busy" doing more "important" things to bother helping newbies?
Frankly the 'journey' for improvement is a task that should be done on it's own, but with help along the way. The reason there is so many crappy amv's is usually because those people don't care, and like the rest of us, we do this as a hobby at our own expense. To us, what we think is crappy is the other creater's "Euphoria" (awe snap!).The so-called "Guides" on this Web site are a case in point, except for a few (rather common sense) bits of advice for planning an AMV's theme and some very technical information that should be labeled "for intermediate/advanced users only," there's NOTHING here to help people become better AMV creators - maybe there are so many crappy AMV's out there BECAUSE NO ONE IS OFFERING TO SHOW OTHERS A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS.
Rather like giving a gang of kids bikes and expecting them to get to point A from point B as fast as possible, but never bothering to teach them how to ride a bike.
They'll figure it out eventually...most of us started our more clueless than the people who join today, long before we even had guides to jump start the process. My first experience was with a trial version of premiere..which pissed me off cause I made my first vid in that thing and couldn't save it!!
very good question, since the idea of perfection is quite impossible and in fact should be deemed a rather 'not sane' way of thinking. Frankly if people don't like a video they can live with it and keep they're petty ideals to themselves.Why is an AMV a "failure" if it does not meet the standards set for "perfection?"
With some tinkering in Premiere it can beAre things that black and white?
with what has been happening recently, yes, a 7.5 vid can be FAR better than anything in the top 10%. If you've noticed, we have a seriously flawed voting system. The only thing you can possibly rely on is perhaps a specific user's favorite's list.Cannot an AMV with a rating of 7.5 be far superior in terms of creativity, originality etc. than the oft-downloaded AMVs to be found in the "top 10%?" and receive such recognition in its own right?
*screeches to a halt*OK EVERYONE, STOP THAT FLAMING POST YOU'RE ABOUT TO WRITE AND JUST LISTEN FOR ONE MORE SECOND (or ten).
Amen to thatThis is a forum, a place to facilitate discussion of ideas and opinions, therefore I have every right to voice them regardless of their accuracy or the strength of my belief in them.
I don't think my frustration with the lack of aid to would-be AMVersis going to impress anyone as original or worthy of attention or even reply.
sure got my attention.
That's the wonderful thing about forums, even if no one gives a damn - generally speaking, you can still be heard.
The great and powerful Oz has spoken!
Anywho, don't get me wrong by quoting your entire post, i'm not flaming you in any way, this just helps me gather a more well founded response by picking out your every word. Frankly what you speak of can be brought back to that old "Attitudes of AMV Creators" discussion a while back. *cough*
So again, please don't take my remarks as insults.
Indeed the newbies aren't getting the respect and help that they prolly NEED. Often in societies like this though such respect has to be earned. There's a no shit attitude that often goes around in the newbie creater population were a simple remark, like the ones I made to your post, would sprout a carpet bombing of vulgarities and flames, and thus they loose what respect they could of possibly had, and often will get scoffed at in any future discussions simply because again, few of us have the patience to deal with them.
Also we have a grand "asshole" population in the forum, you know who you are.
Like Arigatomyna mentioned, asking vet's isn't always the best thing to do. Small tid bits is okay, but on what makes a video good in they're view isn't the best plan. Your not gonna make a grand video in just 4 tries like some creators do. Often people spend time making loads of videos until they find they're own style, often caused by the AMVitus (where you see a video to every song you hear on the radio) and from many editing experiences.
What kills me is is a vid that is so good it actually discourages other creators from making videos. That "There's no way I can top that!!" attitude saddens me at times. Such thinking no longer makes the hobby fun. Often I find myself taking general ideas that people HATE, and make vids to them, like country music It wasn't a grand idea, it won't go down in the history of amv's, but it did make some people go "Damn"
As for respect...psshh, right now I have a goal of loosing respect (with ideas that people hate )
"If you believe in yourself, eat all your school, stay on milk, drink your teeth, don't do sleep, and get your eight hours of drugs, you can get WORK!"
Paperskunk:...PENIS!!!!!!!!! GIANT PENIS!!!!!!!!!! ERMAC WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!!!!!! GIANT JUICY PENIS!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH MY EYES!!!!!!
Paperskunk:...PENIS!!!!!!!!! GIANT PENIS!!!!!!!!!! ERMAC WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!!!!!! GIANT JUICY PENIS!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH MY EYES!!!!!!
- Wonka
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2001 11:04 pm
- Location: Austin,TX
- Contact:
I’m in no way a Veteran man. My only advice is that you should not be despondent about not having an A/V or graphic arts background. It is in no way nesacery.
As I have said, I’m no vet, nor am I even close to the best out there, but I am proud of my work and feel that I can edit with a certain degree of competency. My schooling background? Rapid oxidation suppression specialist, i.e. I am nothing more than a grunt Texas fire fighter. I have not taken one computer course in my life other than working with the good ol' Apple IIe's in 6th grade. So please put aside any preconceived notions that you need a CS Degree to make music videos, as its just not the case, and will probably only serve as a mental blocker for you.
As for help, I know my website offers compression/ripping guides (somewhat the Cliff's Notes of AD and Ermac's incredibly useful "All Things" guide featured here on the site), and I have seen many people here with an extensive knowledge of this area that are quite happy to help.
What I have seen though, is that this is pretty much the only thing anyone else can truly help you with. AMV's are in no way skill based. You don't need any heighten abilities to make a good AMV. The only thing that sets any video apart is simply the creativity and imagination of the creator, and that unfortunately, is something nobody can actually teach.
If you are looking for a basic outline of the uses of Premiere or other video editing software, I'm afraid you probably wont find them here, as this site officially assumes you have a purchased copy of what ever program you choose and thereby have access to their printed manual.
In any case, try sending some PM's out to people who you view to be "Vets" or people who's work you tend to enjoy and see if they can give some pointers the printed manual (which of course we all own) may or may not cover.
My 2 cents. Good luck with all of it.
As I have said, I’m no vet, nor am I even close to the best out there, but I am proud of my work and feel that I can edit with a certain degree of competency. My schooling background? Rapid oxidation suppression specialist, i.e. I am nothing more than a grunt Texas fire fighter. I have not taken one computer course in my life other than working with the good ol' Apple IIe's in 6th grade. So please put aside any preconceived notions that you need a CS Degree to make music videos, as its just not the case, and will probably only serve as a mental blocker for you.
As for help, I know my website offers compression/ripping guides (somewhat the Cliff's Notes of AD and Ermac's incredibly useful "All Things" guide featured here on the site), and I have seen many people here with an extensive knowledge of this area that are quite happy to help.
What I have seen though, is that this is pretty much the only thing anyone else can truly help you with. AMV's are in no way skill based. You don't need any heighten abilities to make a good AMV. The only thing that sets any video apart is simply the creativity and imagination of the creator, and that unfortunately, is something nobody can actually teach.
If you are looking for a basic outline of the uses of Premiere or other video editing software, I'm afraid you probably wont find them here, as this site officially assumes you have a purchased copy of what ever program you choose and thereby have access to their printed manual.
In any case, try sending some PM's out to people who you view to be "Vets" or people who's work you tend to enjoy and see if they can give some pointers the printed manual (which of course we all own) may or may not cover.
My 2 cents. Good luck with all of it.